Belichick, Brady and the New England Patriots

[Saban1]

Here is a link to an interesting article that directly relates to this thread:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnist ... 1.13065064

[jeckle_and_heckle]

Isn't it amazing? People who played the game, coached the game, and probably know a little bit about what's good and
what's not so good, seem to disagree with the naysayers and others who berate success. Others, who never wore a cup
or took a forearm to the chin, try to promote their own weak efforts and jealously mask accomplishments. Still others
are simply haters and take the low road in any endeavor.

Let's see what those in the know have to say.

Somehow it seemed right that Bradshaw, working for Fox, anointed Brady and Belichick as the best in NFL history
during the Super Bowl trophy presentation. That was after Roger Goodell was nearly booed off the stage by Patriots fans,
who never will forgive him for putting Brady through the 18-month nightmare that was Deflategate.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron- ... 1702060039

Joe Greene says it’s time to recognize the Patriots for their accomplishments as coach Bill Belichick and quarterback
Tom Brady prepare to eclipse the Super Bowl record of four victories by Chuck Noll and quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw
and Joe Montana.
“Well, you know you have to have respect for what they do and what they’ve done,’’ said Greene, who lives in his native
Texas after a long career with the Steelers as Hall of Famer, assistant coach and scout.
“I was dismayed about the buzz about them in the past, the cheating, the supposedly cheating and that’s unfortunate
because they probably didn’t have to do any of that. I don’t know if they did, but they probably didn’t have to.”

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1701310103

Dungy: Brady and Belichick are the best ever
Posted by Mike Florio on February 6, 2017, 1:39 PM EST
Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy joined PFT Live on Monday to discuss a couple of guys whose bronze busts eventually
will be in the same place as his.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... best-ever/

And, even before a new breed of patriot fired the shots heard 'round the football world, there were those who
PLAYED THE GAME and admitted - without reluctance - that the Belichick / Brady New England Patriots
are without peers.

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman said he’s always considered Joe Montana the greatest, but has now changed his mind
and gives the nod to Brady.

After the Patriots won their 201st game with Brady starting, the most in NFL history, Brett Favre released a video saying
to Brady, “You’re the best.”

“I surrender,” wrote Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton. “He is the greatest QB ever.”

Ray Lewis, perhaps the best defensive player of Brady’s generation, called Brady “the best quarterback we’ve ever seen.”

Lewis’s teammate Ed Reed agreed in an Inside the NFL segment, as did Boomer Esiason (although Phil Simms wouldn’t commit).

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... best-ever/

Funny! How quickly some jealous haters remove or change their "tags" - or perhaps that was an instruction.

For now, there are - and you can count them: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - FIVE Lombardi Trophies resting at Patriot Place.

[Reaser]

Somehow it seemed right that Bradshaw, working for Fox, anointed Brady and Belichick as the best in NFL history during the Super Bowl trophy presentation. That was after Roger Goodell was nearly booed off the stage by Patriots fans, who never will forgive him for putting Brady through the 18-month nightmare that was Deflategate.

I liked the Bradshaw interview with Brady during the pregame show when he ended it by telling Brady that he didn't ask him about "deflategate" because he doesn't care. Summed that up so perfectly for so many.

I also liked how Goodell was booed, one of the few times he couldn't play the politician and had to just stand there looking uncomfortable and take it. Got himself off the stage quick after handing the trophy to Kraft, too.

[JWL]

The Browns of that era were otherworldly. I think I said in an earlier post that Paul Brown was playing chess when the other coaches were playing checkers. But I'm not sure that it isn't the same with Belichick. It's just that it's not so obvious to people not in the room exactly what his chess game consists of. We know what Brown did - taxi squad, assistant coaches, substitutions, film study, discipline. I don't think we know what it is that Belichick is doing that has him find players, develop players, lose the players, and yet replace them with other players and still keep winning.

I made a comment earlier that somehow went bye-bye. I will try again.

Tom Brady always having a team-friendly cap number is a huge key.

Belichick, Ernie Adams, and the scouting department simply does a better job selecting players than other teams. For the most part, they stay clear of the look-at-me guys. Antics like Logan Ryan grabbing his crotch while going in for a touchdown are not often seen from that team. They also do a tremendous job of getting rid of players. They let some of their stars deteriorate on other teams.

The Patriots look to acquire players who were captains in college. They get smart players to play in key special teams spots. Matt Slater never got the itch to leave and maybe see some action on offense on some lesser team?

They understand the current rules better than other teams. Aside from Randy Moss for a few years, they never had a grade A wide receiver. No problem. The passing statistics are as good as any other team.

[rhickok1109]

The Browns of that era were otherworldly. I think I said in an earlier post that Paul Brown was playing chess when the other coaches were playing checkers. But I'm not sure that it isn't the same with Belichick. It's just that it's not so obvious to people not in the room exactly what his chess game consists of. We know what Brown did - taxi squad, assistant coaches, substitutions, film study, discipline. I don't think we know what it is that Belichick is doing that has him find players, develop players, lose the players, and yet replace them with other players and still keep winning.

I made a comment earlier that somehow went bye-bye. I will try again.

Tom Brady always having a team-friendly cap number is a huge key.

Belichick, Ernie Adams, and the scouting department simply does a better job selecting players than other teams. For the most part, they stay clear of the look-at-me guys. Antics like Logan Ryan grabbing his crotch while going in for a touchdown are not often seen from that team. They also do a tremendous job of getting rid of players. They let some of their stars deteriorate on other teams.

The Patriots look to acquire players who were captains in college. They get smart players to play in key special teams spots. Matt Slater never got the itch to leave and maybe see some action on offense on some lesser team?

They understand the current rules better than other teams. Aside from Randy Moss for a few years, they never had a grade A wide receiver. No problem. The passing statistics are as good as any other team.

I had a couple of long, interesting conversations with Dick Rehbein when he was New England's quarterback coach. Of course, it was Rehbein who championed Brady's cause in the 2000 draft; he was convinced that Brady would be the next Joe Montana. That in itself is a pretty interesting story.

But one thing that has really stuck with me from those conversations is that Rehbein said, with some awe, that Belichick didn't make halftime adjustments based on what the opposing team had done in the first half; instead, he made adjustments to the adjustments he knew the opposing would make.

[7DnBrnc53]

Isn't it amazing? People who played the game, coached the game, and probably know a little bit about what's good and
what's not so good, seem to disagree with the naysayers and others who berate success. Others, who never wore a cup
or took a forearm to the chin, try to promote their own weak efforts and jealously mask accomplishments. Still others
are simply haters and take the low road in any endeavor.

Let's see what those in the know have to say.

Somehow it seemed right that Bradshaw, working for Fox, anointed Brady and Belichick as the best in NFL history
during the Super Bowl trophy presentation. That was after Roger Goodell was nearly booed off the stage by Patriots fans,
who never will forgive him for putting Brady through the 18-month nightmare that was Deflategate.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/ron- ... 1702060039

Joe Greene says it’s time to recognize the Patriots for their accomplishments as coach Bill Belichick and quarterback
Tom Brady prepare to eclipse the Super Bowl record of four victories by Chuck Noll and quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw
and Joe Montana.
“Well, you know you have to have respect for what they do and what they’ve done,’’ said Greene, who lives in his native
Texas after a long career with the Steelers as Hall of Famer, assistant coach and scout.
“I was dismayed about the buzz about them in the past, the cheating, the supposedly cheating and that’s unfortunate
because they probably didn’t have to do any of that. I don’t know if they did, but they probably didn’t have to.”

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/stee ... 1701310103

Dungy: Brady and Belichick are the best ever
Posted by Mike Florio on February 6, 2017, 1:39 PM EST
Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy joined PFT Live on Monday to discuss a couple of guys whose bronze busts eventually
will be in the same place as his.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... best-ever/

And, even before a new breed of patriot fired the shots heard 'round the football world, there were those who
PLAYED THE GAME and admitted - without reluctance - that the Belichick / Brady New England Patriots
are without peers.

Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman said he’s always considered Joe Montana the greatest, but has now changed his mind
and gives the nod to Brady.

After the Patriots won their 201st game with Brady starting, the most in NFL history, Brett Favre released a video saying
to Brady, “You’re the best.”

“I surrender,” wrote Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton. “He is the greatest QB ever.”

Ray Lewis, perhaps the best defensive player of Brady’s generation, called Brady “the best quarterback we’ve ever seen.”

Lewis’s teammate Ed Reed agreed in an Inside the NFL segment, as did Boomer Esiason (although Phil Simms wouldn’t commit).

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... best-ever/

Funny! How quickly some jealous haters remove or change their "tags" - or perhaps that was an instruction.

For now, there are - and you can count them: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - FIVE Lombardi Trophies resting at Patriot Place.

I know that those guys played in the NFL, so I respect their opinion, but a lot of them also work for the NFL. And, as NFL employees, they need to continue the narrative (that Brady is the best ever). It was the same when Montana was playing. And, it reminds me of the time when Cowher said that the cheating had no effect on the NE-Pit AFC Title Games in 2001 and 04.

[BD Sullivan]

Many of the cornerstones of the great Browns teams were first brought in at the outset in 1946, when Paul Brown essentially had his pick of "free agents." Plus, not being able to have a smooth QB transition after Graham caused plenty of stumbles over the last seven years.

[jeckle_and_heckle]

I know that those guys played in the NFL, so I respect their opinion, but a lot of them also work for the NFL. And, as NFL employees, they need to continue the narrative (that Brady is the best ever). It was the same when Montana was playing. And, it reminds me of the time when Cowher said that the cheating had no effect on the NE-Pit AFC Title Games in 2001 and 04.

So true. Just because they played in the NFL doesn't mean they know much about the players who came before them. Sure, there are probably a few who do. But, like any profession, most probably do not. If you could go ahead in time forty or fifty years most of whoever is playing in the NFL then will know very little about Tom Brady, other than they've kind of heard of him.

And great comment about the narrative. This is how you can have pundits like Peter King stating at the end of his weekly column how Brady is no question better than Otto Graham, even though King would probably be hard-pressed to tell you anything about Graham other than what his editors and/or pseudo-researchers looked up for him. He and others like him are just promoting today's NFL.

[Citizen]

As the Patriots players and coaches graciously give their props to Atlanta and give credit to each other for this historic win, it seems their fans didn't get the memo about winning with class.

It's not enough, it seems, for Patriots fans to enjoy this great victory. They have to roam the countryside, torches in tow, in search of anyone who won't anoint their heroes not just as the best NFL team of the 2016 season, or among the greatest in league history, but THE GREATEST TEAM OF ANY KIND EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.

Whoever's not on board with this coronation for all eternity is simply jealous. Or ignorant. Or -- my personal favorite -- NEVER PLAYED THE GAME. I'm seeing this nonsense not just here, but all over.

I admire the Patriots. I've looked askance at some of their methods over the years, but the results don't lie. They are a model sports franchise and they deserve a prominent place in the history of the sport. In the end, it's their obnoxiously belligerent fans who make them hard to like, not anyone associated with the team.

[BD Sullivan]

As the Patriots players and coaches graciously give their props to Atlanta and give credit to each other for this historic win, it seems their fans didn't get the memo about winning with class.

It's not enough, it seems, for Patriots fans to enjoy this great victory. They have to roam the countryside, torches in tow, in search of anyone who won't anoint their heroes not just as the best NFL team of the 2016 season, or among the greatest in league history, but THE GREATEST TEAM OF ANY KIND EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.

Whoever's not on board with this coronation for all eternity is simply jealous. Or ignorant. Or -- my personal favorite -- NEVER PLAYED THE GAME. I'm seeing this nonsense not just here, but all over.

I admire the Patriots. I've looked askance at some of their methods over the years, but the results don't lie. They are a model sports franchise and they deserve a prominent place in the history of the sport. In the end, it's their obnoxiously belligerent fans who make them hard to like, not anyone associated with the team.

Boston fans, and especially the media, aren't exactly known for their deep perspective or (within their past two decades) their humility.